Polling for the the seventh and last phase of Uttar Pradesh elections has recorded 56 per cent of voter turn out till 5 pm on Wednesday in 40 assembly seats spread over seven districts.
With all eyes on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi, voting started at 7 am.
Three Naxal-affected districts of Sonbhadra, Mirzapur and Chandauli, along with the five assembly segments under Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency, will be in prime focus.
1.41 crore voters, including 64.76 lakh women, are eligible to exercise their franchise in 14,458 polling booths and 8,682 polling centres to decide the fate of 585 candidates, including 51 women.
While he BJP is contesting 32 seats, its allies – the Apana Dal and the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party – are contesting on 4 seats each.
The BSP has fielded its nominees for all seats.
The Samajwadi Party is contesting 31 seats, the Congress is contesting for the remaining seats.
In the 2012 state assembly polls, out of these 40 seats, 23 went to the SP, 5 to the BSP, 4 to the BJP, 3 to the Congress and 5 to others.
Prominent candidates who are in fray include former Cabinet minister Om Prakash, Parasnath Yadav, Ajay Rai, former MP Dhananjay Singh, Sigbatullah Ansari, brother of Mukhtar Ansari, and Seema Singh wife of jailed mafia Munna Bajrangi.
The results will be declared on March 11.
(With inputs from Agencies)